Automatic signaling system for industrial establishments



W. I.. IACOBY AND R. II/I. HOPKINS.

AUTOMATIC SIGNALING SYSTEIVI FOR INDUSTRIAL ESTABLISHMENTS.

` APPLICATION FILED MAY?. IQIII.

WITNESS M IIII Patented Get.. l?, i922.,

WLLIAM L. JACOBY, OF LARCH'MONT, NEW' STBE, AND RICHARD lVL. HOEKECNS,0]? RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNORS TO A.MERECAN DISTRCT TELEGRAPHCOMPANY, OF NEW YGRK, N. Y., A CORORATON OF NEW JERSEY.

AUTOMATIC S'IGNALING: SYSTEM FOR INDUSTRIAL ESTABLESHMENTS.

Application led May 7, 1918.

'0 all whom t may concern:

Be it known that we, WILLrAM L. JAGOBY and RICHARD M. HOPKINS, citizensof the United States, and residents, respectively, of Larchmont, countyof Westchester, and State of New York, and of Rutherford, county ofBergen, and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and usefulim* provements in Automatic Signaling Systems for industrialEstablishments, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, whichform a part hereof.

This invention relates to` automatic electric signaling systemsespecially designed and adapted Jfor use in large industrialestablishments. The general purpose oi: the invention is to enablecertain employees or oihcials, whose duty it is to pass through thevarious departments of the establishment on tours of inspection or otherbusiness, to send in to a central oiiice, :trom calling stations locatedat various points throughout the es tablishment, signals that willinform the central office ot the identity of the party who transmits thesignal and of his location. ln this way the central oiiice may be keptinformed at all times of the whereabouts of vsuch employees and may beable to communicate with them on short notice as cirn cumstances mayrequire.

The invention consists of the arrangement of cir-cuits and deviceshereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification and inwhich like reference numerals designate corresponding Pfltsr Fig. 1 is adiagrammatic view showing the entire system in its preferredarrangement. Figs. 2, 3 and 4 `are iragmental views in section showingdetails.

Referring now to the particular arrangement as shown in the drawings, 1is a normally closed signaling circuit extending trom ground throughbattery 2 and relay magnet 3 at the central oiiice, C. O., thence inseries through the transmitter devices ot the calling stations 5, 4 and3 in turn, `located at various points throughout the establishment, andthence to ground. At station 5 the circuit passes'through normallyclosedv contacts 7 and 8 operated by a signal wheel 9 of transmitter 10,thence through normally Serial No. 232,998.

closed contacts 11 and 12 operated by signal wheel 13. [it station 4 itextends through normally closed contacts 14 and 15 operated by signalwheel 16 of transmitter 17, thence through contacts 18 and 19 operatedby signal wheel `2O. At station 3 the circuit eX- tends through contacts21 and 22 operated by signal wheel 28 of transmitter 24 and thencethrough contacts 25 and 26 operated by signal wheel 27 ot transmitter 28and hence to ground. Magnet 8, through its armature 4, .controls a localcircuit 5 which operates a suitable signal receiver 6 at the centraloiiice. rlhis receiver may be conveniently arranged to record a dot orother character on la paper tape for each temporary closing of thecircuit 5.

The transmitting devices at each of the lcalling stations are normallysealed against operation by suitable means. ln the preterred arrangementas shown in the drawings, these transmitting devices at each station aresealed against operation by being enclosed in a normally locked box suchas the box 29 at station 3. The transmitting devices and bones at theseveral stations are all similar so that the description of these'features located at station 3 will be suiiicient. The box 29 isprovided with a hinged door or other closure 30 provided with a lock 31designed to be operated by a key carried by each employee of theestablishment whose duty it is to make use of the system. rllhe door 30is normally held closed by a spring 32. The transmitter 24 is providedon its Yface with a rotatable disk 33 carrying a series oi' apertureswhich may be successively marked 1, 2, 3, 4, etc. To each of thesignaling parties in the establishment there is appropriated aparticular characteristic number. Each party is expected to transmit hisown characteristic signal `number when he operates a transmitter, suchas the transmitter 24. It, for example, the signaling party has4 thenumber 24, then in transmitting his number he inserts his finger in theaperture 2 and rotates the disk 83 until his iinger comes against vthestop 34, whereupon he releases the disk which, by means of itsmechanism, returns to its initial position causing two rotations of thesignal wheel 23 and thereby makes two breaks in the signal circuit 1 atcontacts 21 and 22. This closes the local circuit at the central ollicctwice and produces the corresponding notation in the receivinginstrument. The signaling party then repeats the operation, but thistime using the linger hole 4, and thereby makesi'our brealrs in thesignalcircuit and produces a corresponding notation at the .centraloilicc. rlhe party in charge oi' the central otlce, having thus receivedthe signal 24, therefore knows that the employee to whom the number isappropriated has transmitted the signal. l1 another employee to whom adifferent numeral, such as 53, was operating the transn'iitter, he wouldfirst use the linger hole 5 and then the linger hole 3 thereby causinglthe numeral 53 to be received at the central oihce. rllhe transmitter 24is thus adapted to transmit a multitude ot dii"- iierent signalscharacteristic ot or indicating the particular' party sending in thesignal. Transmitter 24 is a well known mechanism in the art and itsspecific construction need not thereitore be moreI fully shown ordescribed. i

latter the signaling party has operated the transmitter 24 he closes andlocks the door 30. ln closing,` this door he operates anothertransmitting device, associated with circuit l, which indicates at thecentral office a signal characteristic of the particular station tromwhich the party has justsignalled his own characteristic number.. linthis way the central oi'liceis informed not only of the parizicularindividual who transmitted the signal but also the precise point in theestablishment trom which the signal originated. The transmitting devicetor sending in the station characteristic signal may be variouslyarranged. That shown 1n 'the drawing is an adaptation of an ordinarydistrict messenger calling box and is ixed side the box 29. lt isprovided with a signal wheel 27 and with theA usual operating springlever 35. v This lever is voperated by a slide bar 36 working in keepers37 and 38 lixedvon the side ot' the box. lt carries a lug 39 fixed inplace by a hinge 40 which permits the lug to turn from normal positiontoward the keeper A coiled spring 41 connects heeper 37 and Vlug 39.When the door 30 is closed the parts are in the position shown in Figs.3. and 4 in which the bar B6 is held in its inner position by the door30. W'hen the door is opened ther bar 36 is moved oy spring 4l to itsouter position as shown in F l. In doing so the hinge on lug permits thelug to pass from the rear side to the iront side of the lever vWhen thedoor 'is closed it pushes bar 36 inward, lug 39 at the same time pushinglever to the rear and winding up its associated mechanism. Just beforethe lug reaches its innermost position, the end ot' the lever 35 passesbeneath the lug and is thus released and is moved by its spring to thelett. Its associated wheel 27 ,do likewise.

at the same time makes one complete rotation and its tl teeth causethree quick breaks in the signaling circuit l at contacts 25 and 2G. Acori-espending` signal is, thereitore, received or recorded at. thecentral oice. l't will be noted that signal wheel 2O at station 4 hastour teeth and signal wheel 13 atstation 5 has five teeth so that thesesignal wheels when operated send in signals Vcharacteristic oi thestations where they are located.

llt is important to vprevent confusion of signals that would arise it'two or more signals were simultaneously i transmitted from diiterentstations. F or this purpose a locking Vcircuit is provided which extendsi'i'rom the central office to the several stations and by means of whichwhen the door of one box has been opened, all the otherboxes will belocked. ln the arrangement shown', this locking circuit extends from`ground at the .central ofiice through battery Qand thence through wire42 tothe several station `boxes in yseries and to ground. It includescontacts 43 and44 and locking magnet 45 located in theA box at station5,/also contacts 4G and 47 and .locking magnet .48 located ink thebox atstation 4, also contacts 49 and 50 and locking magnet 5l located in boxat station 5. rEhe contacts, locking magnets and associated deviceslocated in the boxes are all similar so that yit will be sullicient todescribe such .devices as located in box 29. The locking circuit isnormally closed and its locking magnets are therefore normallyenergized.r` yContacts 49 and 50 ltend to separate and break the lockingcircuit but are normally held .closed by `means of lug 52 extendinginward from the door 30 and pressing the contacts together. The armature530i magnet 5lV moves up anddown on pinsnproiecting from the poles otthe magnet. jecting downward from the armature isa bolt 54 and in linewith this bolt are two spaced lugs Afixed to the side of the box andprovided with registering holes for the reception ot the bolt. 56 isanotherlug secured to the door and provided with a bolt hole. llilhenthe door 30 is closed, lug 56 projects between the spaced lugs 55 andthe bolt holes in these lugs register. The

bolt 54, however, is elevatedl at thistimev because lug 52k is holdingcontacts 49 and 50 closed and theloclring circuit is therefore closed,assuming that the boxes yat the rother stations are closed. 1iWhen door30 is opened, lug 56 first passes beyond the bolt 54 and thereafter lugv52 relea es contact 50 and permits it to separate trom contact 49. Thisopens the locking circuit and deenergizes .locking magnet 5l which dropsits bolt 54.

rJ'Che locking magnets at the other stations ,Hence while the door 30 isopen, if an attempt is made to open a box 4rio at any other station, thelocking bolt at that station Will prevent the door from being opened sothat no interfering signal can be transmitted While a signal is beingsent in from station 3.

Vhen door 30 is being closed, lug 52 first closes contacts i9 and 50thereby energizing all the locking magnets and elevating their bolts.rlhe bolt 5st is therefore elevated to clear the Way for lug 56 to moveinto its normal position as shown in Fig. a.

ln many cases it may be desired to communicate from the central otliceWith the party Who has just signalled from a calling station. For thispurpose an ordinary telegraph key 57 at the central office is connectedin the circuit 42. By operating this key a locking magnet, as 5l, may bemade to act as a telegraphic sounder to receive any desired message forthe party at calling station 3 as soon as he has operated thetransmitters at that station. lt is true that the locking magnets at theother calling stations Will be simultaneously operated by lrey 57, butthe operation of these other locking magnets will in no Way interfereWith the reception of the desired message at station.

In all cases it may not be desired to keep the boxes at the callingstationsk normally locked or sealed and in such cases the locks 3l neednot be availed of.

It is to be observed that various'changes may be made in the design andarrangement of parts and the invention may be applied to various usesWithout departing from the scope of the invention as defined in theclaims.

What We claim is l. ln an automatic signaling' system, the combinationof a signaling circuit extending from a central oiiice to a plurality ofcalling stations; automatic signal transmitting means at each stationassociated 'With said circuit; signal receiving means at the centraloffice associated With said circuit; a box having a closure for thesignal transmitting means at each calling station; and a locking circuitconnecting the calling stations, said locking circuit including alocking magnet located Within the box at eac-h station, co-4 operableWith the closure of the box 'to engage and disengage the same, and apair oi contacts also located Within the box at each stationco-operating with the closure of the box to open or close the lockingcircuit.

2. ln an automatic signaling system, the

combination of a signaling circuit extending from a central oflice to aplurality of calling stations; ,automatic signal transmitting means ateach station `associated with said circuit; a box having a normallylocked closure for each of said signal transmitting means; meansyat thecentral office for receiving signals over said circuit; and a normallyclosed locking circuit including a locking magnet located Within the boxat each station, the armature of the magnet being normally disengagedfrom the closure, and a pair of normally closed contacts which `areopened by opening a closure oi' any box,

ated, to automatically prevent the operationv ci' the transmitters atall the other calling stations, said locking circuit including a magnetat each calling station; and a telegraph key located at the central oceand connected. in the locking circuit whereby the loclring magnets maybe operated.

et. ln an automatic signaling system, the combination oic a signalingcircuit extending from a central oilice to a plurality of callingstations; automatic signal transmitting means at each station associatedWith` said circuit; signal receiving means at the central officeassociated With said circuit; a box having a closure for the signaltransmitting means at each calling station; a locking circuit connectingthe calling stations and having means including a locking magnet at eachcalling station operable by the closure or any oi"- the boxes to lockthe closures of all ot the other boxes; and a telegraph relay located inthe central office and connected in theloclring circuit, Whereby thelocking magnets may be operated.

This specification signed this 4th day of May, A. D. 1918. n

llVlLLlAli/l L. JACOBY.

RICHARD M. HOPKNS.

